Pat McQuaid Steps Down From IOC 2020 Bid Team

LAUSANNE, Jan 23, 2013 – Embattled cycling chief Pat McQuaid stepped
down from the IOC body evaluating candidate cities for the 2020 Olympics on
Wednesday as the fallout from the Lance Armstrong scandal took another twist.

International Cycling Union (UCI) president McQuaid said he was unable to
join his colleagues evaluating Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul — the three cities
bidding to host the 2020 Games — in March.

The Irishman will be replaced by Patrick Baumann, the secretary general of
FIBA, the international basketball federation.

“Pat McQuaid has decided to step down from the IOC Evaluation Commission as
he was unable to attend the three visits to the Candidate Cities in March,”
said a statement released by the IOC.

“He has been replaced by FIBA Secretary General and IOC Member Patrick
Baumann.”

The UCI has been fighting a rearguard action in the aftermath of the Lance
Armstrong scandal.

The American, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and
banned for life after being accused of widespread and systematic doping, last
week finally confessed to using drugs to fuel his victories.

But the UCI has been accused of turning a blind eye to Armstrong’s cheating
during his Tour de France wins between 1999 and 2005 when the international
cycling body was under the control of Dutchman Hein Verbruggen.

Last week, Verbruggen told the ANP news agency: “Nothing was ever covered
up. The UCI has always fought against doping.”

The UCI has already set up a commission to look into the Armstrong affair.